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User talk:Ryudo Amaru
Source Material to have Online for my Pending Page Additions, (Direct Copy from masters Of Court) i will be editing this to suit the Wikia Masters of Court Pg 173 Toshi Ranbo Although the Imperial Court is the most prominent political arena in Toshi Ranbo, overshadowing all else within the city, an inexperienced courtier newly arrived at the capital is unlikely to be immediately allowed access. Instead, he must prove his ability to not make a fool of himself (and his Clan) through service in the city's lesser district courts. Thus, few courts in the Empire receive as many visitors from as many different Clans as the district courts of Toshi Ranbo, among which four stand out with special prominence: the courts of the Ichidou, Kurai, Senzai, and Shijou Districts. Within the walls of these four very different courts, young would-be political masterminds can prove their worth against the rising stars of other Clans with considerably less risk to their reputation or their Clan's interests. These district courts are as diverse as the Clans themselves. By serving in each of them, a courtier can prove his abilities to his Clan in a variety of different circumstances and situations. Newly prominent courtiers like Yoritomo Yashinko first drew the attention of their superiors in these arenas, and were singled out for more important future endeavours on behalf of their Clans. Masters of Court Pg 173-174 The Ichidou District of Toshi Ranbo The Ichidou District is home to most of the city's major temples and shrines, including the temples to each of the Seven Fortunes, the city's Temple to Shinsei, the Temple of the Seven Thunders, and several other major religious sites, including a newly-built and somewhat controversial shrine to the Nezumi Nameseeker Te'tik'kir, sponsored by the Lion Clan. Of course, numerous smaller shrines are scattered throughout the Imperial metropolis, but the focus of its religious activities is in this relatively compact district, located close to the Imperial Palace. As one might expect, the modest court of the Ichidou District is dedicated mainly to discussing religious matters, including coordination of the Empire's major religious festivals and celebrations (such as the Chrysanthemum and Setsuban Festivals), receiving various petitions for the construction and maintenance of major temples around the Empire, and dealing with the concerns of the Brotherhood of Shinsei. Truly serious religious concerns are traditionally brought directly to the attention of the Emperor, who is the official head of the Rokugani religion, but with the throne empty this is no longer possible, and the importance of this small district court has become magnified accordingly. The governor of the lchidou District is Asako Raizaburo, a shugenja and a dedicated follower of the Tao. He was appointed to his position last year by the Phoenix, after the previous governor, Seppun Tohaku, died during the Khan's attack. Raizaburo is not a very skilled political operator - the Eiemental Council seems to have chosen him mainly for his unquestionable piety - and he has found his new role to be more than a little overwhelming, especially once the Phoenix withdrew from the city and the Lion returned. Fortunately, he has the help and assistance of a far more able man, Seppun Kiharu, the Master of Ten Thousand Temples. Kiharu is a man with many decades of experience in both religion and politics, and he knows Raizaburo is an honorable and well-intentioned man. He also is a good friend and ally to the Lion Clan, and his sponsorship has so far protected the Governor from any significant Lion pressure. The longer the throne remains vacant, however, the more burdens will be placed on the lchidou District court, and the more difficult Raizaburo's duties will become. Masters Of Court Pg 174 The Kurai District of Toshi Ranbo The Kurai District is home to many of the city's nobles and prominent samurai, and also contains most of the significant Clan embassies and diplomatic residences This is the largest district in the city, and in the future, as the city continues to grow, will doubtless be subdivided into two or more separate districts. It suffered heavy damage during the Khan's attack at the end of the Winter of Red Snow, but reconstruction efforts got underway with little delay and now, a year later, there is little sign of the terrible fighting which raged through its streets and the fires which ravaged so many of its structures. As the largest and most heavily populated district in the Imperial capital, the Kurai District also boasts one of the city's largest and most significant courts, second only to the Imperial Court itself. The samurai residents of the City bring the majority of their concerns to this court, expecting their Clan representatives to deal with everything from suppressing the latest crime wave among the heimin to deciding where the latest granary will be built. Every sort of local, petty, or secondary political concern that is too insignificant or localized to deal with in the Imperial Court is brought to the Kurai District court instead. Thus, this court serves a dual role for the Clan delegations in Toshi Ranbo: it is both a place for young courtiers to prove themselves while dealing with less important business, and a place to quietly shelve those courtiers whose talents have proven insufficient for more important duties, allowing them to continue serving their Clan without too great a loss of face. The governor of the Kurai District is Ikoma Kometsu, a dignified samurai in late middle age, who earned this appointment after many years of service to Clan and Empire. He has little taste for politics, and generally presides over the court with a detached and almost amused air, watching as the courtiers wrangle over matters he considers to often be beneath the dignity of a samurai. His own attentions are occupied primarily with the governance of his district. In the time since the Winter of Red Snow, he has devoted himself to the labor of rebuilding the damage to the district, and has consequently spent even less time in court, allowing his various Imperial clerks and functionaries to run it as they see fit. Naturally, the Otomo have not discouraged this, since it serves to further increase their influence in the city. Masters Of Court Pg 175 The Senzai District of Toshi Ranbo Within the quiet gardens and beautiful mansions of the Senzai District, an invitation to a garden party can be a declaration of war. This is where Toshi Ranbo's highest culture dwells. In beautiful gardens, Noh theatres, the Imperial Museum, and in the estates of the city's highest-ranking nobility. Here, wars of words are fought over the level of hospitality displayed by the residents, and the quality of the entertainments that they provide. A wind-blown ikebana arrangement can become a metaphor for a Clan's participation in any number of events around the Empire. A musician's song can send a courtier into seclusion for months if it is not performed perfectly. In this environment, a courtier must be as steadfast as Hida and as clever as Kakita in order to make a name for himself. The court presided over by this district's governor is a small one, and it concerns itself almost exclusively with matters which a war-trained bushi might consider frivolous, questions of entertainment and culture, such as deciding which Clan's theatre troupes will be permitted to perform in Toshi Ranbo in the next season. However, for the courtiers who negotiate such matters, they can be as intense as a military treaty. Rokugan is a place of civilization and culture, these courtiers like to point out. It is things like courtesy, art, and beauty which set Rokugan apart from the barbarian gaijin. Are not such matters worthy of a courtier's whole-hearted effort? Kakita Kannabe, the Governor of the Senzai District, was born into one of the most prominent Families of artisans in the Crane Clan. Unfortunately, he possessed none of his lineage's ability to create fine art. Due to his family's reputation, he was still enrolled in the Kakita Artisan Academy, and passed from one sensei to another until there were none left willing to teach the boy. In order to avoid a significant loss of face, the family traded in a large number of political favors to send Kannabe to train with the Doji courtiers. At first, he did not seem to show much promise there either, but that changed when he began his first lessons in the game of Sadane. His upbringing among talented artists suddenly paid off, as he could detect flaws in works that even the instructors found difficult to spot. Furthermore, his aura of authority was so strong that even when he made up a flaw, few were willing to challenge him on it. Kannabe quickly blossomed, developing a razor-sharp tongue which proved applicable to politics as well as games. His only limitation was a cruel streak that manifested in his harsh and relentless rhetorical attacks. This flaw has proven his undoing, for despite his appointment as a district governor, it is apparent that he will never rise higher in the echelons of the Crane Clan. As a result, he makes the court in his district a place of misery for those courtiers who attend it, especially if they seem promising types who might one day surpass him in the Clan's ranks. Any such courtier must learn to weather the biting gale of abuse Kannabe will inevitably heap upon him. If words are weapons. it can fairly be said that Kakita Kannabe plucked the Crane ancestral sword from the Heavens to use upon his enemies. Masters Of Court Pg 175-176 The Shijou District of Toshi Ranbo The Shijou District composes the major markets and riverside docks of Toshi Ranbo. It is a clearing-house for goods arriving in the city, and an economic battleground for those who wish to channel the flow of those goods. Trade agreements are the coin of this district's court, and the trade delegations from the Clans spend much effort here manoeuvring against their rivals. A Clan which cannot control the flow of its goods into the Imperial City is not only at an economic disadvantage but will also lose face, and with so many merchant patrons already embracing a somewhat un-samurai-like attitude, the tactics employed here can be somewhat cut-throat. Bribing the dock officials to delay or refuse sensitive shipments is a common tactic, and rival merchants frequently engage in nasty commercial disputes over the several marketplaces in the district. The court of the Shijou District teaches the importance of duty like few others in the Empire, since the need to maintain a strong position for one's Clan can often trump all other considerations. Since Toshi Ranbo became the Imperial City, the Mantis have maintained a strong presence in this district and its court -indeed. one of the major Mantis ambassadorial residences is located here. However, the Phoenix expulsion of the Mantis last fall for brawling with the Lion has weakened their position here, allowing many rival courtiers to breathe quiet sighs of relief. The district governor and master of its court is Daidoji Kuro, a member of the Daidoji Trading Council and a Crane with a Crab's sense of duty. A city the size of Toshi Ranbo requires a great deal of food in order to function effectively, and as the governor of the city's market district Kuro is charged with ensuring that those needs are met, as well as seeing that the choicest and most magnificent supplies make their way to the imperial palaces. These are far less simple tasks than they may appear. Constantly shifting trade agreements between Clans, and the presence of so many highly competitive mercantile-minded courtiers, ensure that every day in the district court is an adventure. Only during deep winter is Kuro able to relax somewhat, as the Imperial Court moves to its winter home and the pressures of duty ease. Now, with the throne empty, Kuro's position has become even more difficult. Each Clan seems to believe they best know how to properly distribute the resources of the capitol, and without the weight of the Emperor's power behind him, Kuro has found It increasingly difficult to counter their pressure. In recent months he has been forced to resort to almost Harrier like tricks in order to maintain the upper hand.